


another man's treasure

by oathsworn (onelastchence)



Category: League of Legends RPF
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Takes places during All Stars, liftlift and madlife deal with their feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-15 11:13:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9232355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onelastchence/pseuds/oathsworn
Summary: The last year for the best bot lane in the world.





	

**Author's Note:**

> angel informed me that because madlife is no longer playing in the lck, he will not be eligible to be voted in as the lck all star's support this year. word vomit commence.
> 
> the title also somewhat implies that madlife is trash but the important thing here is that he's GCU and doublelift's treasure, okay? okay.

Jongin sends him a knowing look when he leaves the room, but otherwise keeps his silence. Mingi doesn’t deign to respond in any way, just continues down the hall to his destination.

 

Doublelift - Yiliang - had informed him of his room number in case he ever wanted anything, and the NALCS All Stars had joked about him cheating on Zaqueri with him. Mingi had laughed along, albeit a little awkwardly, and told Yiliang the number of the room he shared with Jongin.

 

He reaches out to press the doorbell, hoping that it’ll be Yiliang who opens the door.

 

Obviously, with the kind of luck he has, it is not. He stares at Zaqueri for a little while, before he finally comes to his senses and manages to stammer out: “Doublelift?”

 

The other support gives him a long look, as though judging him, before he turns around gesture for him to enter. Mingi, who had been expecting to speak with Yiliang somewhere else, startles, but follows meekly. Yiliang glances at him from where he’s lying on the bed scrolling through his phone and immediately perks up. “Hi!” He greets, grinning. “What’s up?”

 

Mingi shoots Yiliang’s roommate a hesitant look, biting his lower lip. Zaqueri rolls his eyes and leaves the room, throwing a “One hour!” over his shoulder as he does. Mingi feels a little guilty, and it must have shown on his face, because Yiliang waves him off with a “Zaqueri’s always like that when it comes to me these days.”. His tone of voice is cheerful, but Mingi still remembers the _Aphromoo’s my best friend_ from 2014, and the articles he read of CLG essentially kicking Yiliang out, and he can hear the sadness in Yiliang’s voice.

 

He never wants Yiliang to be upset.

 

But it’s the last day of All Stars, and most of them are flying back out tomorrow. This is Mingi’s last chance.

 

“Thank you,” He starts. He still isn’t that good at English, but he’s been searching and learning online, sometimes even asking Jongin when he thinks he can stand the snickers and nudges the help always comes with. “For playing with me for 4 years.”

 

Yiliang raises an eyebrow at the way Mingi says it, formal and standing stiff at the foot of his bed. He pats it. “Sit, sit. Why so formal all of a sudden?”

 

Mingi frowns. Formal. What did that word mean? Yiliang seems to realise that Mingi didn’t understand, and rephrases. “Why are you thanking me?”

 

At this, Mingi smiles, but it’s sad. He looks down at his clasped hands for a moment, before he looks back up at Yiliang’s face. He’s gotten used to seeing him once a year. “Best bot lane in the world,” He says. “This year is last year.”

 

“What?” Yiliang shouts, startling Mingi. “Sorry,” He apologizes in a softer voice. “Why?”

 

With that question, Mingi suddenly has to face all of his demons. He’s silent for a little while, trying to keep his emotions in check, before: “I not play in Korea next year.”

 

And so he would not be eligible to be voted into the LCK All Stars next year, Yiliang realizes. It would be the end of the Doublelift-Madlife bot lane.

 

“Then- Then where are you playing?” Yiliang asks.

 

Mingi shrugs. “I get offer from Gold Coin United.”

 

Yiliang has never heard of Gold Coin United. The confusion is clear, because Mingi laughs, softly, and continues with: “NA challenger team.”

 

“You’re going to play in the NACS?” Yiliang asks, but it’s more of an exclamation than it is a question. Hong Mingi, _Madlife_ , one of the most celebrated supports of all time, who changed, who _crafted_ the current support meta, going from basically a celebrity in Korea to playing in the NACS.

 

Yiliang won’t lie and say he understands why, but Mingi is older than he is, even if only by one year, and they’ve been playing for pretty much the same amount of time. Mingi is old enough, responsible enough, to know what’s good for him and what isn’t.

 

Yiliang just doesn’t _understand_.

 

Mingi nods, and Yiliang finally sees the resignation in Mingi’s eyes, in his stance. He doesn’t want this, Yiliang thinks. If he could, he would have stayed in Korea, continued to play in his homeland. It’s not that Mingi _wants_ to play in the NACS, it’s that only the NACS wants _him_.

 

“You’ll do well,” Yiliang tells him, and Mingi looks up with a small, thankful smile. “You’re one half of the best bot lane in the world, after all.”

 

Mingi laughs, softly, and it both warms and breaks Yiliang’s heart. “Thank you.”

 

Yiliang leans forward to ruffle Mingi’s hair, and Mingi swats his hand away with another laugh, but louder, this time, more of what Yiliang is used to hearing. They end up in something halfway between a pillow fight and a tickle fight, yelling and shouting until they hear Yeujin’s fist on the wall, yelling for them to shut up.

 

They quiet down then, giggling like schoolgirls sharing a clandestine secret. Mingi’s tucked into Yiliang, the both of them almost cuddling on the bed, and Yiliang would move because this is a little weird, but he’s comfortable and Mingi’s smile is really pretty and-

 

Oh, fuck it.

 

Yiliang kisses Mingi.

 

Mingi startles, eyes widening, and the only thought that goes through Yiliang’s head is _Well, you’ve fucked up this time_ , but then Mingi’s eyes are crinkling into cute crescents like they do when he smiles, and he’s not pulling away, he’s _deepening the kiss_.

 

Yiliang’d always thought that between himself and Mingi, he would likely be the more experienced one. Under what circumstances he thought of that is another story altogether.

 

But boy, was Yiliang _wrong_.

 

* * *

 

“I’ll come visit you,” Yiliang whispers the next morning when Zaqueri’s in the bathroom. “I’ll fly to LA at least once a month to visit you.”

 

Mingi smiles and nods, his entire face brightening in his happiness. Yiliang leans forward to kiss him again, morning breath be damned. When he pulls apart Mingi looks half blissed out and half disgusted, and Yiliang laughs.

 

Zaqueri exits the bathroom and makes a face at them. He’d had to come back to the two of them _cuddling_ , amongst all things. He jerks his head in the direction of the bathroom and the both of them get up, albeit a little clumsily. Yiliang presses once last kiss to Mingi’s forehead that has Zaqueri pretending to throw up in his mouth before he disappears into the bathroom.

 

Zaqueri opens the hotel room door to show Mingi out, who thanks him with pink cheeks and a flustered expression. Zaqueri sends him a measured look, before saying: “Take care of him.”

 

The door closes in Mingi’s face.

 

Blinking, Mingi smiles to himself. Despite all the apparent animosity, there was still something in that friendship, after all.

 

He goes back to his shared room with Jongin and taps his keycard against the scanner. He pushes the door open, and when Jongin sees that it’s him, he’s greeted with the most cheekily devious looking smile on the other’s face.

 

Mingi’s good mood evaporates almost immediately.

 

He’s never going to live this down.

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by [these](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxhT0Cu2ri8) [few](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBtS029IF7k) [interviews](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1o-62rgNy4&) and also [this one game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS-magp02M4&) which they ultimately lost but, you know.
> 
> edit: [liftlift calling madlife hot bc why not](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq51PDXD-qI&t=1m28s)


End file.
